Summer Reading Celebration

Heart of Darkness was a fantastic read. It told of a thrilling adventure and depicted the main character, Marlow, as brave, but not faultless. The story had many ups and downs, I never knew what was going to happen next!

Dinosaurs in America after some calamity split America apart. The United States has been split into many little pieces of territory ruled by overlords, gamgs and evangelical states. Latif Tamim is an orphaned boy of war working for a Dino rodeo circus circuit. While he is working, a dinosaur in his care escapes and is fatally wounded then sent back to the past. Tif, is fired and forced to find employment elsewhere. He finds employment in the household of a high ranking evangelical pastor, to train a dinosaur which was purchased for his son. Upon inspection of the Carnotaur, it is old, maimed and ill suited for riding. The son threatens to kill the Carnotaur if Tif doesn't take it with him so he agrees. On his poisoned bike, he rides to join another rodeo and is taken in by Memphis Red's Tatterdemalion Circus. Tif meets Memphis, show woman and proprietor, Matilda, wrangler and dino whistler, Prince, buckaroo and Silver Clown, paralegal and engineer. In this rag tag band, Tif finds new home but yearns to save a friend from his past and see his Carnotaur taken care of, even if it means saying good bye to send it back to the past. I was really impressed with this short but detailed read. I could imagine the characters, the dinosaurs and even the tumultuous tension throughout Tif's journey through a war-torn Wild West post apocalyptic wasteland. The ending was satisfying and I would certainly read more from this author.

A heartbreaking sorry of what happens when children don't learn how to fail. The book highlights how social media tends to exacerbate problems for young perfectionists today as opposed to those of prior generations.

The Western Wind carries the changes that the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment will bring to 15th century England through the microcosm of a small, backwater town called Oakham. The story unfolds in reverse, beginning with the last day and ending with the first which makes for a thought provoking premise from the start. But soon you realize that the narrator isn’t entirely reliable and as the storyteller he attempts to put himself in the best light. It’s a mystery but not a typical whodunnit. The small focus questions center on is it murder, a suicide, or an accident? The bigger questions grapple with the nature of sin and forgiveness, the perceived need for an intercessor between humans and God, the role of art and music in religious experiences. The motivations of the characters are as real as yours and your neighbor’s. There is much to chew on here.

These novellas should be made into larger stories. Especially water and earth, they are my favorite.

I ordered this book for my husband and me too listen to together. We both enjoy history and it sounded like an interesting story. I should have been forewarned by the almost opening page which described two survivors of the wreck found engaging in an act which could only be described as cannabilism. Philbeook doesn't spare any detail in this book. From that opening scene to the blood spurting out of a harpooned whale's spout he almost seems to revel in bringing the grotesque to light, and he spates no detail. I actually think that there was not enough of a story here and Philbeook had to add every detail and side excursion into other related and unrelated incidents to flesh it out. I much preferred the story of Shackleton and the Endurance to this book.

An incredible story of survival against all odds. Watched the movie after reading the book and of course, the book is sooo much better. This is a must read!

Yeah.....not for me. Especially because I really am interested in the history of the place.

Isla loves how this book is full of photographs that match up to each different section, so she can learn simple ballet while going through the book.

Woman gets a chance to visit other possible lives when she reaches a crossroads in her own. It was pretty good, although there were a few places that seemed to drag. Overall, not bad